Brake and anchor operating and releasing means for traveling bridges



BESTAVAILA E COP M. B. BENSON. BRAKE AND ANCHOR OPERATING AND RELEASING MEANS FOR TRAVELING BRIDGES. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 17. I92I. 1,437,710. a nted Dec. 5, 1922.

INVENTOR A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN B. BENSON, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

BRAKE AND ANCHOR OPERATING AND RELEASING MEANS FOR TRAVELING BRIDGES.

Application filed February 17, 1921.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN B. BENSON, acitizen of the United-States, residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake and Anchor Operating and Releasing Means for Traveling Bridges, of which 1. do declare the following to be a specification.

My invention relates to brake and anchor operating and releasing means for traveling bridges, and has for its object the provision of improved means for setting and releasing brakes and anchors employed to prevent the movement of traveling bridges, cranes or carriages. With these and other objects in view, it consists of the structures. combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a fragmentary side elevation of a traveling bridge employing my said invention, certain electric circuits and devices being shown in diagram. Fig. 2-, is a detail end elevation of a portion of the hereinafter described truck and anchor.

In the drawings, 1, is a railway track; 2 is a portion of a bridge frame; 3 is one of the trucks adapted to travel upon said track, and upon which said frame is mounted. Said trucks or frame may be of any suitable structure. Pivotally secured near one end to the frame of said truck, as at 4, is a brake lever 4, the opposite end of which is weighted in any suitable manner, as by a weight 4 suspended therefrom. Near its pivoted end as at 4*, said lever is connected by means of any suitable transmission mechanism or levers, as by links 4*, 4, bell cranks 4, 4 rods 4, 4 levers 4*, 4, rods 4, 4*, links 4, 4 and bracket 4 with brake shoes 5, 6, 7, 8, which shoes are adapted to be applied by said weight lever and trans mission mechanism to the wheels 9, 10, of said truck when said lever is operated by gravity. The specific arrangement and structure of such transmission, or the number of brake shoes may however be altered or modified within the spirit and scope of certain of my claims.

Connected to said lever at any suitable point, is a link or connecting rod 11", one end of which is connected to a piston rod 11, extending from an air or brake cylinder Serial No. 445,692.

11. The intake end of said cylinder, below the piston therein (not shown) communicates in any suitable manner, as by a pipe 12 with the upper or exhaust end of a second air cylinder 13, the lower or intake end of which second cylinder communicates in any suitable manner as by a pipe 14, with the exhaust end of an air compressor or pump 15, which compressor is operated by an electric motor 16.

Said motor is included in an electric circuit comprisingthe wires 17 and 18, the con troller 19, wires 20 and 21, and a generator Said wires 17 and 18 are tapped by the wires 17 and 18 which are connected to normally open contacts 17 and 18 of an electric cut-out switch or circuit closer. Adj acent to said contacts, but insulated therefrom and from each other, are contacts 1" and 13 which latter contacts are in circuit through suitable connecting wires 17 and 18 with an electro-magnet 23. Said contacts 17 and 18 are adapted to be brought into electrical communication with the contacts 17 and 18 respectively, by a contact closer of any suitable construction adapted to be mechanically operated by the brake lever 4, as will appear. Said wires 17 and 18 are also tapped by wires 17 and 18 which are connected to normally open contacts 17, 18 adjacent to said magnet 23. 24 is an electric propelling motor of any suitable structure, which is geared to one of said trucks. The poles of said motor 24 are connected by wires E24 and 24 with normally open contacts 24 and 24 adjacent to said contacts 17 and 1S and are adapted to be brought into electrical communication with said contacts 17 and 18 by a circuit closer 23 of any suitable structure adapted to be operated by said magnet 23. Connected at one end to said brake lever 4, is a link 25, which link is connected at its opposite end to a circuit closer 26, which is adapted to be operated by said link, when said lever 4 is in its raised position, to establish electric communication between the contact points 17 and 17 and between the contact points 18 and 18 The electric circuits as thus far described are substantially similar to the circuits described in Letters Patent No. 1,320,971, dated Nov. 4, 1919, granted to me for propelling and braking means for traveling cranes and carriages. In my present invention, however,

6" an same BEST AV/HLABLE CUP I prefer to interpose in the c' cuit which includes said motor 16, the coil ot' a solenoid 27, which solenoid is adapted in operation to close'a-n exhaust valve 11 of any suitahlo structure positioned in the lower or pressure end of said cylinder 11, and when de-energized and retracted said solenoid is ada tedftoppen said" valve 11. Near the upper end of said cylinder 11, is a satety exhaust port 11 adapted to exhaust excess p e it the pistes n .sederli det es ahor'es id p "M 1 uwe ge e-erred o. sa d ram or truck any 'su itahlean d" 'nv nient posit a adap ed. t e-t er. ,2 ell is an Of an S i ab e tr it qe e cluding cl 'iping 'jan s 28, 28?, l l t s he e. th i tte 9 {b andconn'ec'ted at their uppe ids nnkses' fssa'io" a connectin' l at its opposite end cdi neted'to one arm fi i l e a k, level. 2 t e .QPJP sit arm 29*, ofwh ich' le er i s' cqnnected y a connecting rod 30 ithe o t end/0t, a piston red, extende 't e j he eteke e sai 'er md r live it i ms; iibnd 19 sai arm 29 retake said The ta e ,e L 9 i yl e er 3; is ce e ted by nine i 't e It 'will'be o 'l hat "the a Slth 'iii de 3 id they," i in, se ie I ep fe iei theei ttent' i. the see mt r h rs t ti edeeflet he eeti-i lleitfsait current first a? t1i con1pres sor motor i j i. t e alems through per eates 'lls ees'ien. mes t 'c eth e us tl 1 r sa il aclr' 1 'i iqetelti sai mor j 1.6; wh ch re te he 'eemi'z es e We lea st i' f 'eemeres s il' 1: fitstt t y nder 13', the eby ep etins th Pisten i s id if e w n-@1 11 'Q' '5s 1 i n$mt i ra s s. theweightedend of id he'llc leve 29,

r vvhichdlex er draws upon saidto gle bars t rl a e il a p New from. P- 'e t nes wit se' d e l lifteii w e P T ex e e Pres ure capes f m said cylinder 13, through pi )e 1 2 to the pres; end' f .371 1 1 tbei' b peratin -the piston therein and causing it to; raise the e f'f i hteel d of ie ak l er. thus freeing the brake shoes ro contact with the Wheels. At the" saline time the raising ofthe brake levers causes the link and circuit closer 26 to 5163;; cont act e n t point and 7f a d between 18 and 18?, whereupon] current will flow em a sense of ene ator to sai 1 net 23 Said magnet 23 will now operate circuit closer thereb yclose thecircuit tothe propelling motor 24 througlycontacts Qlfl'Q-l nnd the bridge w'il l'thenfinoxre along, said track. It will he observed that the anchor is first released While the Wheel brakes remain applied; then the wheel brakes are released, and then the propelling motor cominlen cesito operate. i i I d When the current vtroni said generator is cut off, the air pressure first or more rapidly escapes from said cylinder 11 through the valve 11 permitting the weight 4 to opcrate saidlevehl to apply the-brakes to said heels, The slower exhaust of the aiitroin cj 'lindei" 13 by leakage thereafter permits the Weight 31 to operate said lever 2 fie s t ai anc i g pp s positi w h re pec to, sai ra s Similar or additional brake and anchor system d ende t up t i 'sam ai empressor and compressor-motor, inay if des r d b s all ether p ints I su h bridge, as willbe readily understood. K

Th pe ti n o sa .imt fe in sures that the wheehhrakes will he set pronjiptl y--upon the stoppa 'et or current front any cause; that cl 5f 'fqllowing the appli ati n of t 'h'eel ke i h t ber will b seti Ques i .fi. 'e i'n t appl ed e or The 2 1 p th e n heel hra that the heel brakes canrie b el e'set ete the i le e I i and, that t e propelli g 1 cm! ca il fkmsrate While either tl ie anrhor oi the wheel brakes are applied, 4' V That I clain is- 1. The cornbination with an electrically propelled vehicle, of an anchor adapted to he eth Op r y he sir ns? eiv 'rate device, fluid actuated inea DS adapted to retract ai g v ty qr ieted d? we; a Whee br k adapted to he set in operation by a second a ity pera ed de a secqnd flui a t a d mea adapted t r reat se -end grakity QPQlQl tGQll@QYlQE, said second fluid acested m i d S n fie-titan was m a eing Part i te depend nt ith r by', said second fluid actuated nieans is preented tron; retracting; second gr vity operated device until said first fluid actuated means has retracted said ti stgravil'y operated device and whereby said first fluid actuated means is prevented"from being itselfretracted hetore said -npdnnju' actuated n'ie ns heen, retracte i i '2. The corn nation wi li a wheel sup ported rehicle,'iofa rail track tor said ehic'le, an anchor for vehicle, said anchor being adapted i pera t e ip clamp a rail of said track,pgrz-tvity operated rneans for setting said anchor in operation, anair compressor, electric means for operating said cornpressor, an air cylinder connected to said coinpressor and containing a piston,

ass; AVAELABLE cos" exhaust end of said. first air cylinder and containing a piston, fluid actuated means including said second cylinder and piston for retracting the gravity operating means for setting said wheel brake, a source of elec tricity, a propelling motor for said. vehicle in normally open circuit with said source. and means for automatically closing said circuit at one point when the wheel brake is retracted and released.

3. The combination with a wheel supported vehicle, of a rail track therefor, an anchor for said vehicle, said anchor being adapted in operation to clamp or p p a rail of said track, means for setting sa id anchor in operation, a source of fluid pressure, a fluid pressure cylinder connected to said source and containing a piston, fluid actuated means including said cylinder; and. piston for retracting said anchor operating means, a wheel brake, means for setting said wheel brake in operation, a second fluid pressure cylinder, the intake end of said second cylinder being connected with the exhaust end of Said first cylinder and containing a piston, fluid actuated means including said second cylinder and piston for retracting said wheel brake operating means, a source of electricity, a propelling motor for said vehicle in normally open circuit with said. source, and means for automatically closing said circuit when said wheel brake is retracted and released.

4. The combination with a wheel sup ported vehicle, of a rail track therefor, an anchor for said vehicle, said anchor being adapted in operation to clamp a. rail of said track, means for setting said anchor in op eration, a fluid pump or compressor, a fluid pressure cylinder connected to said compressor and containing a piston, fluid actuated means including said piston for retracting said anchor operating means, a wheel brake,

means for setting said. wheel brake in operation,'a second fluid pressure cylinder, the intake end of said second cylinder being connected with the exhaust end of said first cyl nder, fluid actuated means including said second piston vfor retracting said wheel brake operating means, a source of electricity, electric means in circuit with said source for operating said pump or compressor, an exhaust valve at the intake end of said second cylinder, an electro-magnetic device in circuit with said source, said electro-magnetic device being adapted when energized to close said. exhaust valve in said second. cylinder, means for opening said valve when said electro-m'agnetic device is tie-energized, said second cylinder having a safety exhaust port therein. at its opposite end, a propelling motor for said vehicle in normally open circuit at a plurality o l points with said source, and means for automatically closing said circuit at one of said points when said wheel brake is retracted and for opening said circuit at such point when the wheel. brake is in operation.

5. The combination. with a wheel supported vehicle, of a rail track therefor. an anchor adapted to clamp said track, a wheel brake, a source of fluid pressure supply and two fluid pressure cylinders connected in series, means adapted to be operated by fluid pressure in one of said cylinders to retract or release said anchor, and means adapted to be operated by fluid pressure in the other of said cylinders to retract or release said wheel brake.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN B. BENSON.

lVitnesses C. E. MELBY, H, L. LIBERTY. 

